Book Review - Motherless by Erin Healy

When you read the back cover of a book, you get a pretty good idea of what you are getting into. When I read the summary for Motherless by Erin Healy I was intrigued and ready to strap in and take a ride. Here are a few details for you:

About the book (back cover):

A whispering voice at the back of my mind reminds me that I’ve been this way for some time. Dead, that is.

The dead have a very broad view of the living, of actions performed out of sight, of thoughts believed to be private. I would know. Losing both parents is a trial no child should endure, and Marina and Dylan have endured enough. They deserve the one thing I could never give them: a mother’s love.

A mother’s love, and the truth.

My children have believed a lie about me for years and years. After all this time I can still feel their hurt in my heart. But the tether holding me to them is frayed from years of neglect . . . and I have to find a way to make my confession before it snaps.

But when the truth comes out, what other beasts will I unleash?

“Why do we lie to the children?” someone asked me once.

“To protect them,” I answered.

How terrible it is that they need protection from me.

My Review:

When I finished reading Motherless by Erin Healy, I was emotionally spent, swept away and found myself wiping tears from my eyes. There are very few books that have had that kind of impact on me. I found myself leaning into the story to absorb as much as I could.

Motherless takes off from page one and grips the reader. It immediately immerses you into the story and you are invested in what is going on. Motherless combines the supernatural with a thriller and mystery and does it with such heart. I found myself trying to unravel what was going on and even when I knew what was happening, I would turn the page to a surprise I did not expect. Everything was well-thought out and well executed.

Highlights - 
Characters who were imperfect. How nice it is to read about individuals that you can relate to. Things aren't wrapped up in a simple bow of misunderstanding. It can be hard to read about flaws, but it is also hard to ignore them in real life. I appreciate that Healy went there with realistic characters that were perfectly fleshed out.

Location, location, location. I was blown away by the descriptions of real locations I grew up going to in California. From the vineyards to Monastery Beach, I felt like I was right there. Even the homes and businesses were so perfectly described without imposing them on the reader. I saw it, I smelled it and I felt it.

Truly engaging, There were a lot of unanswered questions bouncing about in this story and each and everyone was answered. There were no rabbits pulled out of hats (in other words the story wasn't tweaked unbelievably to make things work). Everything made perfect sense.

All in all, I can say that I am glad that I read Motherless. It was a story that entertained me, made me think and gave me a new perspective on getting away and running away (you'll have to read the book to know what I'm talking about there). I would definitely give Motherless 5 Stars.

In full disclosure, I was given a copy of Motherless through a promotional team and publisher to facilitate my honest review.  I was not required to give a positive review.  This review reflects my honest opinion.

Book Review - A.D. 30: A Novel - By Ted Dekker

When it comes to books, I have certain authors that I count on for different experiences.  I have grown to count on them to bring me exactly what I look for from each genre that they excel at to such a degree, you almost can't think of that genre without thinking of them.  When it came to suspense with a fantasy or speculative fiction component, I always picked Ted Dekker.  When given an opportunity to review "A.D. 30: A Novel" I jumped at the chance.  

Here's a few details:

About the book (from  Goodreads):
A sweeping epic set in the harsh deserts of Arabia and ancient Palestine.
 
A war that rages between kingdoms on the earth and in the heart.

The harrowing journey of the woman at the center of it all.

Step back in time to the year of our Lord...A.D. 30.

The outcast daughter of one of the most powerful Bedouin sheikhs in Arabia, Maviah is called on to protect the very people who rejected her. When their enemies launch a sudden attack with devastating consequences, Maviah escapes with the help of two of her father's warriors--Saba who speaks more with is sword than his voice and Judah, a Jew who comes from a tribe that can read the stars. Their journey will be fraught with terrible danger. If they can survive the vast forbidding sands of a desert that is deadly to most, they will reach a brutal world subjugated by kings and emperors. There Maviah must secure an unlikely alliance with King Herod of the Jews.

But Maviah's path leads her unexpectedly to another man. An enigmatic teacher who speaks of a way in this life which offers greater power than any kingdom. His name is Yeshua, and his words turn everything known on its head. Though following him may present even greater danger, his may be the only way for Maviah to save her people--and herself.


My review:
This is not what I have come to expect with Ted Dekker.  I have expected excellent writing and compelling characters, but I have never read anything like this.  From the beginning I was drawn into the world of Maviah a slave and outcast whose own father, a Sheik who truly wants little to do with her.  She is doubly cursed by being a woman and from the outcast group of the Bedu (a child out of wedlock no less).  I felt an immediate sense of compassion for this woman who, through no fault of her own, had no honor.  When really there is no one else to turn to, Maviah is dispatched on a mission that surely is impossible, but she and her companions have honor and that compels them forward.

You can read what the book is about above, here is what I enjoyed.

Realism -   A.D. 30: A Novel propelled me into biblical history in a way I had not been ushered into it before.  The story of Maviah was compelling and heart wrenching.  I would expect a journey into the desert to be tiresome and full of danger, and Dekker delivered such a journey.  Nothing happened easily in  in the entire story.  This I enjoyed.  It wasn't that I wanted Maviah and her companions to go through hardships, but if it is going to be believable, things have to happen that are believable.  

Tight story - I have read books where things seemed very contradictory in order to get to a desired result.  This book was clear and on point from start to finish.  I didn't find myself turning the pages back to fact check.  I have done that in other books and it has been disappointing.

Characters - The characters are believable and sympathetic.  As a reader I never felt manipulated by character description or actions.  Nothing was ever forced.  They behaved according to the way they were drawn.  There was never a feeling of betrayal over a character suddenly doing a 180.  Both my feeling of sympathy, anger, joy and a little jealousy (they are after all going to meet up with Jesus, I wished it was me) were ignited through this book.  

Spiritual tone - I am a Christian.  I am a Christ follower, and I am happy to read a book that digs into my faith.  Dekker did this richly in A.D. 30.  I found myself making notes for my own growth and development.  It was exciting reading about how someone would picture my Jesus.  

All in all A.D. 30: A Novel, is a compelling historical novel with deep truths linking together an incredible story.  Knowing that there is so much truth made it a bit of a pilgrimage on paper.  If you like adventure?  This book has it in abundance.  Do you desire to read fiction with biblical truth?  You will find it here.  Do you want to have a moment with Jesus?  This made me dig deeper.  Dekker is a master storyteller and through this work you will be entertained but also learn from THE master storyteller, Jesus.  

And good news, a sequel is on the way with A.D. 33.  I for one will anxiously await it.

Lastly, when you pick this book up, be sure to read the opening "My Journey Into A.D. 30."  It was mesmerizing. 

Full disclosure:  I received this book from the publicist to facilitate my review.  No other compensation was given.  The opinions here are completely unbiased and my own.

Book Review - Fear Has a Name by Creston Mapes

It has been nice having a weekend or two to finally concentrate on reading.  Last weekend I was immersed in two books one via my Kindle "Fire in the Night" by Linda Byler and the above "Fear Has a Name" by Creston Mapes. Both were provided by publishers.  Though the reads were provided by the publishers, this has not impacted my review.


Title:  Fear Has a Name (The Crittendon Files)
Author:  Creston Mapes
Publisher:  David C. Cook

About the Book (via Goodreads):
How Far Would He Go To Keep Them Safe?

It was more than a break-in. More than a stalking. It was personal. When a stalker targets his family, journalist Jack Crittendon must uncover who the person is and what his motives are—if he is to protect the ones he loves. It will lead Crittendon into a world of behind-closed-door secrets and faith gone awry, as does his investigation of a missing pastor, whose apparent suicide is more than it appears. Each move Crittendon makes weaves him tighter and tighter into a web of lies, greed, hypocrisy, sin, and danger. He believed he’d never give in to fear. But that was before. And holding on to his faith won’t be easy. Nor will keeping his family safe, and ending the terror. Because that might require him to step over lines he never dared to cross.

My Review:  
As a fan of thrillers and suspense novels, I was really looking forward to reading "Fear Has a Name."  I am constantly looking for a thriller that I can enjoy that includes a Christian message.  This is not an easy combination to achieve, and the attempts often result in any faith message being lost in the story or the story being lost in the message.  "Fear Has a Name" did not disappoint.  The story begins with a big enough bang to to capture my interest and engage my curiosity.  As I read, the action ebbed and flowed in a perfect mix of needed detail and moments of nail-biting tension.  I felt engaged throughout the story, and truly if I didn't have such a rigid bedtime, I would have read into the night.   "Fear Has a Name" keeps you thinking about not just what will happen next in the story but in actual life by bringing to light real issues like bullying, abuse, scandal and the importance of caring about others as we do ourselves.  You are also reminded that not everything is as it appears.

The characters are well thought out and caused me to want to know more about them and what will happen next.  The characters made me feel emotions of fear, sadness, disgust, and also hope.  Occasionally I simply wanted to shake a few.  

If I were to give one word to describe "Fear Has a Name" I would  use the word "gripping."  It was that and so much more.  I am thrilled that "Fear Has a Name" is just the first in a series.  I eagerly look forward to the next book "Poison Town."

As far as rating this book...FIVE stars all the way.

OOOH Big PS here.  Creston's publisher is giving away another copy of Fear Has a Name.  You can learn more at his website.